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NASSCO lays keel for first of five Jones Act ECO tankers

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Mrs. Katherine Faulconer, wife of Mayor Kevin Faulconer and First Lady of San Diego, welds her initials onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the APT-1's keel.

MARCH 9, 2015 —General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard, San Diego, CA hosted a keel laying ceremony Friday for the first Jones Act ECO tanker in a series of five for Kinder Morgan’s American Petroleum Tankers (APT) subsidiary.

San Diego’s First Lady, Mrs. Katherine Faulconer, authenticated the keel of the first ECO tanker for APT by welding her initials onto a steel plate during the ceremony. The steel plate with her initials will be permanently affixed to the ship’s keel and will remain with the vessel throughout its time in service. Her husband, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer who was present at Friday’s ceremony, cut the first piece of steel used to build the ship during the vessel’s start of construction ceremony in September 2014.

The 50,000 dwt, ECO tankers are built to a new design by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea. The design incorporates improved fuel efficiency concepts through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form. The tankers will also have dual-fuel-capable auxiliary engines and the ability to accommodate future installation of an LNG fuel system.

“NASSCO is pleased to continue our commitment as good environmental stewards by building the most energy-efficient tankers in the Jones Act fleet and in helping to sustain and grow highly-skilled jobs right here in San Diego,” said Kevin Graney, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics NASSCO.

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